Mechanism for curling the edges of irregular-shaped containers



June 17, 1930. c. J. AULBACH 1,764,239 7 MECHANISM FOR'bURLING THE EDGES OF IRREGULAR SHAPED CONTAINERS Filed NOV. 28, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet -l June 17, 1930.

C. J. AULBACH Filed Nov. 28, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 17, 1930. Q JJAULBACH 1,764,239

MECHANISM FOR CURLING THE EDG'ES OF IRREGULAR SHAPED CONTAINERS Filed Nov, 28, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES CHARLES T. AULBACH, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO CONTINENTAL CAN COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK MECHANISM FOR CUBLING THE linens or IRREGULAR-SHAPED CONTAINERS Application filed November 28 1928. SerialNo. 322,507.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a mechanism for T curling the edge of an irregular shaped container, and is particularly adapted for curling the edge of the container body to clamp and secure an inner sealing member to the container.

An object of the invention is to provide a curling mechanism wherein the edge is curled by meansofa curling die, which is provided with devices for holding the metal wall of the container in proper engagement with the die to insure the forming of an uniform curl atthe edge of the container all the way around the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the above character with devices cooperating therewith for placing and securing an inner sealing'member to a container of the above type.'

A still further objectof the invention is to provide a mechanism of the abovecharacter wherein the inner seal isheld firmly against the side and end walls of the container, and the walls of the container in turn held in proper relation to the die for producing a uniform curl which is pressed against and grips the innerseal for securing the same to the container These and other objects will in partbe obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings Figure 1 1s a view partly in seotionand partly in front elevation showing a'can seal attaching device embodying the improvement-s. i i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View in section of the seal attaching head, said section being taken in the same plane as the sectionin Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the head as raised. i

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. i Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through a portion of the head showing the can and sealing member placed, and with the chuck or outer protecting member brought into engagement with the sealing member.

intoa curl, often referred mgthe head moved downward so that the edge of the can is rolled inwardly and outwardly int-o gripping contact with the flange of the sealing member.

Fig. 7 is a detail showing the position of the die and the member for holding the wall of the container against the die at the beginning of the curling action.

an inner non-metallic sealing member having a flange extending along the body wall of a container, which sealingmember is secured to the container, which sealing memher is secured to the container by curling the metal of the container inwardly, downwardly'and outwardly into gripping contact with the fiangeof the sealing member. The container is cylindrical, and the curling of the edge'may be readily; accomplished bya curling roll, or other equivalent mechan1sm.

The present invention has'to do with a Fig. 6 s a view similar to Fig. 2, but SllOW:

mechanism for die curling the edge of an irregular shaped container, and as stated for the particular purposeof securing an inner sealing member. The die curling head includes adie whichis shaped to conform to the edge of the container. This head has a movement relative to "the container and when said head moves into contact with the metal of the container it will roll the edge to as a -false wire. The rounded corners of'the container will remain in proper position relative to the curling die, but the straight side and end walls between the roundedcorners are liable to get out of proper alinement, andtherefore the die curling mechanism is provided with means which engages these. walls between the rounded corners and holds'the of the container.

walls of the container firmly against the walls of the curling die so as to insure that the curling die will. properly engage the container and produce a uniform curl extending all the way around the edge of the container. These devices which hold the walls of the container againstthewall of the die are carried by the die curling head, and

are actuated thereby. \Vhen the device is used for. attaching an innen sealing member to a container, this inner sealing member is placed within the container body and properly supported adjacent the end where the curl is to be formed. The sealingrmember is provided with a vertical flange, which the mechanism for curling; the edge of the container body includes a support 1 on which the container body2 is placed. This support has a cross. sectional shape corresponding to that of the container body, and the container body fits loosely on this support. The container body projects above thesupport as clearly showninthe drawings. Inasmuch as my curling mechanism is particularly adapted for attaching an inner sealing member to a container, I will describe in detail the manner of using the curlingmechanism for this purpose. 7

The inner sealing member is shownat 3 in'the drawings. This inner sealing member is provided with a flange 4:. The inner sealing-member isplaced on'top of the support 1.- The inner sealing member maybe made of paper or any other fragile material, but is preferablynon-metallic so that when the container is first opened the inner sealing member may be broken and'removed and-anouter sealing member used for reclosing purposes.

The head forattaching the sealing member-to the container is carried by a supporting frame 5. This supporting frame 5 may be attached to a table and on thesame table means providedfor forming the sealing member and inserting the same in the container body and on thesupport 1, in which case the support l will travel from. one station to the other.

The frame 5 is provided with suitable guideways 6 in which a head 7 is adapted to move up. and down, The head is raised and lowered by means of a link 8 cooperating with a crank carried 'by a main shaft mounted in the housing 9 at the upper end of the frame 5. This main shaft may be rotates the crank will raise and lower the link and the link will raise and lower the head. The head is provided at its upper end with spaced lugs 11, 11, and the lower end of the link extends between these lugs and is pivotally secured thereto by a pivot pin 12. r i V The attaching head 7 carries a depending extension 13 which is rigidly secured to the head 7.. A sleeve l t is located centrally of the head' and has a threaded connection with astem 15 secured by means of: a clamping nut 16 to the extension 13. This sleeve is provided with an inner shoulder 17 and freely movable in the sleeve is a rod 18' having an enlarged head 19 adapted to'engage the shoulder 17. This rod 18 carries atrits lower end a chuck 20. A spring 21 normally presses the chuck downwardly and its downward movement is limited by the head 19 engaging the shoulder 17 This chuck is for the purpose of engaging the inner sealing member resting on the support for protecting the same during the attaching ofv the sealing member to the container. The container, as shown in the drawings, is an oblong. container, rectangular incross section with rounded corners. The chuck is made to conform to the cross section of the container and is'of such dimensions that it may be readily removed from contact with the sealing member past the curled edge which secures the sealing member to the con tainer, after said container edge has been curled for this purpose.

Mounted on the extension of the attaching head are four holding jaws which, except for length,are all similar. These jaws are indicated at 22 in the drawings. Each jaw is pivoted at 23v to a bracket2-i carried by-a rod 25 mounted for free movement vertically in the extension 13. At the upper end of this rod there is a plate 26 which is adapted to engage a shoulder at the bottom of the recess 27 A spring 28 surrounds the rod and bears'against the bracket at its lower end, while the upperend of this springseats in a recess in the extension 13 of the attaching head. These springs normally tend to force'the rods 25 downwardlyand thus force the aws downwardly on the attaching head. Each jaw is provided with a cam shoulder 29 which is adapted to cooperate with a cam face 30 in the extreme lower endof the sleeve let. Each jawalso has a straight portion 31 extending downwardly from this cam-shoulder 29. Each jaw is provided with a recess 32. A coil spring 33 encircles all of the jaws and lies'in these recesses 32. This coil spring tendsto move the lower ends of the jaws inwardly toward the center of the head and this inward movement of the jaws is limited by the cami'ace and the outer wall of the sleeve directly above the same.

- the lower end of the extension 13 of the attaching head there is a curling die 3a. This curling die .34 is provided with a vertical wall which leads to a curling recess 36 at its upper end. The extreme upper edge of the container body is curved inwardly slightly asindicated at 37, while the extremejlower end of the vertical wall placed thereon and the sealing member in place on the support is placed beneath the head. As the head moves downwardly the chuck 20 first comes into engagement with the sealing member and the spring 21 will then be compressed, thus yieldingly holding the chuck pressed against the sealing member. i

As the head continues its downward movement, the jaws 22 will be caused to contact with the upper face of the chuck. The extreme lower ends of these jaws are curved about the pivotal support of the jaws as a. center, and the upper face of the chuck is inclined so that the jaws may contact with the chuck and freely slide outwardly into gripping engagement with'the flange of the sealing member, After the jaws make contact with the chuck, a further downward movement of the jaws is restrained and the,

springs 28 will be compressed allowing. the supporting rods 25 to move upwardly into the extension 13. The sleeve 14, however, continues its downward movement, and therefore, the cam .face 30 sliding along the cam shoulder 29 will positively force these jaws outwardly, all jaws simultaneously moving outwardly until the ends 38 engage the vertical wall of the flange l. This will hold the vertical flange asnugly in engagement with the inner wall of the container body. inasmuch as. these aws move, in

wardly toward the center of the head, they are necessarily limited somewhat as to length so as to permit this free inward move ment. There is, however, a sufiicient length tothe jaws to hold the flange of thesealing member snugly against the wall of the container body. As the head continues its downward movement, the vertical wall of the sleeve 30 will pass along the straight wall on the jaws directly beneath the shoulder 29 and thus hold the .jaws in their outer clamping position as clearly showninFig. Got-the drawings. This further movement of the head in a downward directionbrings the curling die into engagement with the wall of the containerbody and will roll said wall inwardly and outwardly, as indicated at 39 in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, until it brought into gripping contacti with the vertical flange of the sealing member.-

As the head moves upwardly the curling die will first be released from" engagement with the container, after which the jaws will 7 be released b the sleeve and the coils rin wvill at once retract the jaws 'moving the ends of the jaws from beneath the curled edge or" the container body. During this upwardv movement of'the jaws, there is no bodily vertical movementofthe jaws. {The springs 28 will hold the jaws in contact with the chuck until the head has risen to a point where the bracket 24: engages the upper face of the curling die. When these brackets come into contact with the die or the plate 26 limits the downward movement of the rods 28 then the jaws will be raised vertically with the head andretracted from contact with the chuck. The chuck willalso be lifted from centact with the sealingmeme her and all of the parts will continue their upward movement withthe rising movement of the attaching head.

, As has already beenstated, my'improved die curling mechanism may be used for I curling the edge-of anirregular shapedcontamer for producing a false wire without attaching any inner sealing member thereto.

In Figs. 7 and 81 have shown a curling I die as used for curling the edge of the container body without attaching any inner seal. The jaws 22 have the same movement as when attaching the inner seal. These jaws are adjusted so that they are broughtv into contact with the side, an d end walls respectively of the container body and will hold these walls up againstthe entering wall of the die, which is indicated at 35 in the drawings. Asnoted, the die is shaped to conform to the normal outlines of the container body, and the rounded corners will remain in proper position so as to engage the die in such a way as to be properly curled. It is the side and end walls between the rounded corners which are likely tobe misshapedor bent so as to not lie properly againstthe entering wallof the die. These jaws will force the side andend walls be.

tween the rounded corners into firm con-' tact with the entering wall of the curling die and thus the curling recess 86 willproperly contact with the edge of the container so as to curl the same inwardly, downwardly V and outwardly thus forming, a, false wire and a finish for the" outer edge of the container body. t

forth in the claims.

From the above it will be apparent that a mechanism has been provided for die curling the edge Ofan irregular shaped contain'er where all the parts are operated through a single eccentric member which raises and lowers the diecurling' head. It will be understood, however, that the man ner of actuating the parts and raising and lowering the head may also be greatly variedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims.

While the chuck protects the sealing member when the curling mechanism is used, and also cooperates with the jaws in permitting free movement of the jaws into clamping engagement with the flange of the sealing member, it will be understood that from certain aspects of the invention this chuck may be omitted and the jaws limited in their downward movement by the support for the container.

It is obvious that minorchanges in the details-of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what'I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A-mechanism for die curling theedge of an irregular'shaped container, compris ing areciprocating head, a die carriedby said head for engaging the walls of the container body for curling the same, and means carried by saidhead for holding the walls. of the container against the entering walls of the die as the container passes into said die for insuring a uniform curl.

2. A mechanism for die curling the edge of an irregular shaped container, comprising a reciprocating head, a die carried by said head for engaging the walls of the container body for curling the same, jaws mounted on" the head for bodily vertical movementand for independent oscillation, and means associated with the jaws formoving the same so as to cause said'jaws'to engage the side' and end walls of the container for holding said walls against the entering' walls of the die as the container passes into said die for insuring a uniform curl.

4 the walls of the'container body for curling the same, a plurality of independent jaws' mounted on the head for bodily vertical movement, a cam carried by the head" for engaging the jaws, springs for moving the jaws bodily away from the cam, yielding means for moving the jaws radially toward the center of the head whenreleased by the cam, and means for moving the head relative to the jaws for causing the jaws toen-* gage the end and side walls of the container body for holding said walls against the entering walls of the die as the container passes into said die for insuring a uni form curl.

4. A-device for attaching an inner sealing" member to a container body including means for supporting a container, means within the container body for supporting a sealing member having a flange with said-flange extending outwardly along the body wall of the container, means for engagingthe flange of the sealing member for holding the-same against the wall of the container, and adie curling means for engaging the wall of'the container body for curling the same inwardly and outwardly into gripping contact with the flange of the sealing member.

5. A device for attaching an inner sealing member to a container body including means for supporting a container, means within the containerbody for supporting av sealing member having a flange with said flange extending outwardly along the" body wall of the container, movable clamping jaws for engaging the flange of the sealing member for holding the sameagainstthe wall of the container, and a die curling means for engaging the wall of the container body for curling the same inwardly and outwardly into gripping contact with the flange of the sealing member. 6. A device for attaching an lnner sealing member to a container including means for supporting a container and a sealing member having a flange, with said flange extending'outwardly along thebody wall of the container, a reciprocating head, movable jaws carried by said head, means associated with the jaws for moving said jaws outwardly into contact with the flange of the sealing member for holding the same against-V the wallet thecontainer, and a diecurling means carried by said headfor subsequent- 1y engaging the wall of the container body for curling the same-inwardly and outward- 1y into gripping contact with the flange of the sealing member.

7. A device for attaching an inner sealing member to a container including means for supportmg a contameran'd asealing member having aflange, with said flange-extending outwardly along the body wall of the container, a reciprocating head, pivoted jaws mounted on said head for bodily vertical movement and for independent oscillating, means associated with the jaws for'moving said jaws for oscillating the jaws so as to cause the same to engage the flange of the sealing member for holding said flange against the wall of the container, and a die curling means for engaging the wall of the container body for curling the same inwardly and outwardly into gripping contact with the flange of the sealing member.

8. A device for attaching an inner sealing member to a container including means for supporting a container and a sealing member 7 having a flange, with said flange extending outwardly along the body wall of the container, a reciprocating head, a plurality of independent jaws mounted on said head for bodily vertical movement, a cam carried by the head for engaging the jaws, springs for moving said jaws bodily away from the cam, yielding means for moving the jaws radially toward the center of the head when released by the cam, said support for the sealing member serving as a means for limiting the downward movement of the jaws when the head is moved downward, whereby said cam forces the jaws into engagement with the flange of the sealing member, and a die curling means carried by the head for engaging the wall of the container body for curling the same inwardly and outwardly into gripping contact with the flange of the sealing member.

9. A device for attaching an inner sealing member to a container including means for supporting a container and a sealing member having a flange, with said flange extending outwardly along the body wall of the container, a reciprocating head, a plurality of independent jaws mounted on said head for bodily vertical movement, a cam carried by the head for engaging the jaws, springs for moving said jaws bodily away from the cam, yielding means for moving the jaws radially toward the center of the head where released by the cam, a yielding chuck carried by said head adapted to engage the sealing member on the supporting means therefor, said chuck operating to limit the downward movement of the jaws, whereby said cam will force the jaws outwardly into engagement with the flange of the sealing member, and a die curling means carried by said head for engaging the wall of the container body for curling the same inwardly and outwardly into gripping contact with the flange of the sealing member.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

CHARLES J. AULBAOH; 

